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This is me
Chapter One Shadows dance around me, darkness covering my sight. I see glints of eyes flashing from the midst of the shadows. Hints of claws and teeth lash out at me, but before I can get a good look at them, they disappear. I lunge at the shadows, frustrated and confused with their insanity, as they blur before my eyes. I miss though, my claws plunging right through them. Mocking laughter echoes in my ears. This confusing, viscous world is my nightmare. Why me!? I think, growling as I dash through the blur of darkness before me. Claws prick my pelt, sending bursts of pain through my shaken body. However hard I run, however far I sprint, I will never escape these frightening things, these terrifying apparitions. '' Bolting upright, my gaze swept the forest, with eyes wide and ragged breaths. The nightmare had not surprised me, I had learned to expect such terrors when i entered the world of sleep. But his one had seemed different. More real, the fear stronger, the feeling of claws raking down my pelt harsher. Finally, my breathing begins to slow and I calm down, returning to my usual state. I twist to groom my black pelt, sighing as I spot the unusual markings. There are white spots running down my muzzle, gathered at my haunches, and scattered around my paws. On my haunches, there are dozens of tiny spots, surrounding a single one spot, that's larger than the others. My eyes are unusual too, one eye a deep midnight blue, the other an icy blue. After grooming my pelt until it's sleek and shiny, I stand up, stretching as I spot a vole rustling at the bottom of a large pine tree. My eyes widen as I see how plump it is. ''A vole like that could keep me fed for a couple of days! ''I think gleefully. Swiftly, i drop into a hunters crouch, pulling myself forward silently with each pawstep. Finally, I am less than a taillength away. I bunch my haunches, and prepare to spring, already anticipating the first bite. A shout interrupts me though, and the vole stiffens for a moment, knowing there are cats around before shooting off. ''Mouse dung! ''I silently curse. Whirling around, I find myself face to face with a large brown cat, his luminous green eyes narrowed angrily. "You ruined my catch! That vole could have fed me for days!" I spit at him, both eyes blazing in anger. The tom showed his teeth. "That scrawny thing? Yeah right. Anyways, I believe ''you ''are the one in wrong doing. You're trespassing on Thunderclan territory!" "What?.." I meow, mystified. "I've lived here for years! There's no way that this can be some cats territory!" The tom looks down at the mossy ground, wincing a little bit. "Well... We've had to expand. Badgers have settled into another part of our territory now, and we have to find enough prey to support ourselves." "Well, have you ever thought how that might effect other cats?! Now, I don't have a home!" The tom sighed. "Well, I saw you in your hunting crouch... You seemed to be a skilled hunter, and able to fend for yourself. Perhaps you could join Thunderclan?.." He asked hopefully, looking up. My eyes brighten. My mother had always gone on and on about the Clans, and how we should always try to join one if we got the chance. Until.. She died. "Um.. Sure. By the way, I'm Ink." '''Chapter Two' I walk into the crowded Thunderclan camp, terrified on the inside, but on the outside I hold my head high and look proud and haughty. I do wish though that I had had time to groom my pelt better! The cats here have glossy beautiful pelts and they aren't plump but are certainly well fed! I sneak a glance at my pelt, spotting my scrawniness and ruffled pelt, and wince. I look back up though. I've lived as a rouge for years, and faced extremely dangerous things. A few cats aren't going to make me like this! A dark grey cat approaches me, and eyes me suspiciously, her deep blue eyes flicking over me. "Duskclaw, why have you brought this cat into our camp?" She asked, her voice slightly hostile and accusing. The brown tom, who I assumed was Duskclaw, dipped his head respectfully, not meeting his leaders gaze. "Sleetstar, this is Darkening Shadows. She used to live where our new territory is." Before Duskclaw could finish his sentence though, a young and pretty black apprentice bounded over to us, her gaze sharp. "Mother, what does he mean by that cat used ''to live in ''our ''new territory?" "I have a name you know!" I snap, glaring at the cat who stares back at me with equal dislike. "And I ''used ''to live in that place because Duskclaw just invited me to live somewhere else. And do you know where that place is? ''Here." I spit at the haughty black cat. Sleetstar looked at me with disgust and turned to the black apprentice, who I assumed was her daughter. "Don't worry Darkpaw. This cat may stay, but she needs to prove her loyalty before we can fully accept her as a clanmate." As soon as she uttered those fateful words, an alarmed gasp came from the crowd. Hisses and mocking words rose from the crowd. "What!?" "We can't just randomly accept rouges and kittypets! We don't want to become soft, like the old Thunderclan!" "Yeah!! Remember Firestar!?" Sleetstar turns and fixes the crowd with a haughty glare. "Ink is staying! Remember, I am Clan leader! What I say, goes!" I fix the crowd with a threatening stare too, my lip curling, and my claws digging into the soft ground. Nobody looks friendly or helpful. I can't see anyone who looks supportive, that might help me. I then realize Sleetstar has begun to speak again, and listen attentively. "Ink, as you are now a Clan cat, you will now be known as Inkpaw. Your mentor will be Stormclaw. That is all." She then turned and bounded away, to what I assumed was her den. "No Clan ceremony or anything?" I hear someone mutter. A harsh voice snaps me out of staring after the Thunderclan leader. "Come on Inkpaw, we haven't got all day! I want you to show me what you've got." I turn to see a snooty looking cat with ruffled looking light grey fur. This must be Stormclaw. He catches me staring at him, and looks annoyed. "Come on ''Inkpaw. Let's go!" I growl under my breath, but other than that I don't react. Without another word, he turns and stalks out of the camp like he doesn't care if I come or not. After a while of trekking through the lush and thick forest, we enter a part of it that seems gloomier and less welcoming. Finally, he stops in front of a cave that isn't very noticeable amongst the thick vines spiraling down the cliff. "This is your new home," he meows. "We can't completely trust you yet, therefore, you will be sleeping here." I poke my head inside it, and immediately recoil. The cave is dark and dank. The stone walls make it cold and unwelcoming, and a small trickle of water drips down the corner of one wall. The ground is hard and jagged, and I know when I try to sleep there it will be uncomfortable and annoying. ''Are you kidding me? ''I think, feeling extremely annoyed. I whip around, ready to snarl at Stormclaw why this "den"- if you can even call it that- is unsuitable for any cat to sleep in. But he's gone, the only traces of where he could have gone are ferns rustling slightly and his scent on them. I growl, thinking that it might not have been such a good idea to join this Clan. I then stalk after him, my tail swishing irritably. '''Chapter Three' I've been here, in this wretched place that feels like a prison, for about a moon now. Nothing's really changed. I still live in a unwelcoming cave, nobody likes me, Darkpaw is trying to make my life miserable... etc. I wish I had just stayed a rouge, everything would have been so much better! So what if the cats I thought I could trust were trying to... kill me. My life would be better. I jerk out of my thoughts as a sneering voice drifts into my "den" if you can call it that. "Come on Prisoner, ''Sleetstar wants you." Darkpaw. Of course. I spring up, my fur bristling. I stalk over to Darkpaw, snarling, my eyes blazing. "Shut. Up. I stay here of my own accord, I can leave ''any ''time." Darkpaw laughs, and shrugs. ''"Suuure," ''she meows in a sarcastic tone. "Anyways, get a move on, Sleetstar isn't going to wait forever!" I sigh and brush my way past her. ''I suppose it makes a bit of sense that she called me that, ''I think while weaving my way through the forest, stepping over clumps of tangled roots. ''I'm practically banished to that little cave when I'm not training with Stormclaw. I barely get a meal a day! ''I sigh. ''At least Stormclaw's training me hard. Honestly, though, you would think that tom has a one way mind. Training, training, training, maybe eating a little bit, more training... Finally, I reach the camp, tail swishing. Sleetstar is waiting for me in the center of the clearing, looking at me with those icy blue eyes and a slightly exasperated demeanor. I stalk over to her, feeling rather annoyed and disrespectful from my encounter with Darkpaw. Oh well. "I heard you wanted to see me?" I meow as respectfully as I can, biting down my sarcasm. Sleetstar gazes at me for a moment then meows: "Inkpaw, I wanted to take you to a Gathering. It will be your first and I'm sure you will enjoy it. It's a bit of an honor to be picked for this, by the way. I'm sure some cat has already told you about it but if not ask your mentor. Now I have to go and arrange a few things and then we leave." She stalks away, having uttered all that in a just one or two breaths. I stare at her retreating tail for a minute, not soaking in what she had just said. Then it dawns on me. A Gathering! Where all of those cats go to meet each other and discuss news. I hope the other Clans are friendly.. I heard about one when another apprentice, a friend of Darkpaws, was discussing it with Darkpaw and how they hoped to be picked to go. Of course, I wasn't eavesdropping on purpose of course... They were just talking in quite loud voices and I was just sitting there, eating a mouse that nobody else had wanted so.. I mean I can't really turn off my ears! Chapter Four I pick my way over the roots that crisscross over my path as the moon begins to rise, giving everyones pelts a silvery sheen. I keep my distance from the other cats, as I don't want my pelt brushing with theirs. After a moon of living with this Clan, you would think I would have become accustomed to living around other cats. Yeah, I haven't. Finally we reach the tree bridge that leads to the island. I remember my mother describing it to me in great detail, her eyes wide and shining. It's odd how much she seems to miss the Clans. Especially after what she did. I shake my head, clearing it of thoughts of my mother. I don't need to think about her now. I step onto the tree bridge, trying not to slip from the slippery wood, that must have been splashed constantly. But once I have a grip it's quite easy to walk on it. I suppose all those moons of hunting in the trees have finally paid off. I set a paw on the island, surprised at how many cats are milling around there. My pelt begins to bristle slightly, and I try to keep it flat. I push my way into the center of the island, where there is a clearing, filled with cats. So this must be where they meet to discuss news, ''I think, as a few cats- about my age- shoulder past me without shooting a glance back. My ears flatten and my pelt won't stop bristling but it's not like they notice. A few cats however, do give me side glances. I suppose it's from the hostile glare I'm giving the apprentices. "What's up with that cat? She looks like she's ready to claw every cat's ears off!" I hear an apprentice whisper to her friend. They both look perfect- if that's what you would call them. Me, I think they look annoying. The one who is whispering is a gorgeous golden tabby with emerald green eyes. Her friend has a smoky grey pelt that is sleek and shiny with light blue eyes. I glare at them, and the golden one glares back. She's certainly got some nerve though I suppose. "Yeah, don't talk about me like I'm deaf," I growl, annoyed by the way the gathering has been going. I am actually about ready to claw their ears off like the golden one suggested. The smoky grey one, obviously more timid than her friend winces. "Um, sorry… Come on Emberpaw we should g-go.." she stutters. Emberpaw glares at her friend. "Really Rainpaw? You're weaker than I thought. Ugh." The grey apprentice, who I now know is called Rainpaw shrinks slightly. "Sorry." she mutters resentfully. Emberpaw rolls her eyes and I scowl at her, turning to go. I want to see if I can find one cat who doesn't hate me before the Gathering is over. I'm sick of being alone by now. My gaze scans the grassy clearing when I spot a light grey she-cat with deep blue eyes making her way toward me. Maybe I can talk to her a bit, she looks friendly enough. The she-cat finally reaches me and I smile at her, doing everything I can to not appear mean. "Hi, I'm Featherpaw." the young apprentice meows, smiling.I smile back. "I'm Inkpaw", I respond. "And by any chance, have I met you before? You look so familiar..." I meow. Featherpaw shrugged. "Well Feathertail was my ancestor," she meows. "My mother thought I looked a lot like her, so she named me after her.." She must have seen my puzzled look even though I try to hide it. "Haven't you heard of her? Died in the mountains? Her brother stayed there? One of his grandkits made his way to the lake?" I didn't respond to that either. I honestly have no idea who she's talking about. "Um, I just came here about a moon ago," I mumble, feeling kind of embarrassed. Featherpaw's eyes brighten with understanding. "Ooh! I was wondering why you didn't know about her, her story is a quite famous one." Suddenly, a black cat with golden eyes and a few golden markings leaps to a branch of a large tree. He yowls for silence and three other cats scramble up to branches nearby, one of them Sleetstar. "What's going on?" I murmur to Featherpaw after we have sat down. "Well, those are the leaders up there. Each of them tells the rest of the Clans about how things are going. It's mainly about announcing new apprentices, kits, warriors, or talking about how great their Clan is doing even if it's not. No cat wants their Clan to sound weaker than another, so some may lie a bit. The one who called the meeting to order is Lightningstar, leader of Shadowclan. He's famous for being strong but sly. My leader, Riverclans, is the light grey one with darker grey spots. Her name's Ripplestar." I glance up and notice the Riverclan leader. She sits upon one of the slightly lower branches but holds her head high. She has light blue eyes and is small and lithe. "The Windclan leader is called Whisperstar," Featherpaw whispers into my ear, pointing her tail at a light brown tabby she-cat with emerald green eyes. when she finishes telling me about the leaders I realize that I have missed all three of the leaders reports except for my own leader, Sleetstar. She is in the middle of her report, and I realize that she is talking about a new apprentice being made, and I figure she is talking about me. "We have a new apprentice with us tonight, Inkpaw." I raise my head and stare ahead at Sleetstar, trying to look calm and cool. The cats begin to call my name and my pelt grows warm from the attention. I'm not used to it and don't particularly like it. But as soon as the yowling begins, it ends. The Gathering then begins to break up, cats wandering around. A black tom comes up to us and Featherpaw dips her head at him. "Hi, Pineheart. Inkpaw, this is my mentor, Pineheart. He's training me to be a medicine cat apprentice." '''Chapter Five' I look up at him and nod a greeting. "Hello," I meow, trying to seem like a friendly, rule-abiding apprentice, but if I'm honest with myself, I probably look pretty hostile. He dips his head in return, then turns to his apprentice. "Featherpaw, where have you been? You should know by now that you need to sit with the other medicine cats, not some random newly made apprentice." He snarls, obviously irked. I bristle at the comment. "Wow, thanks so ''much for that compliment. How long did it take you to come up with that?" I hiss, not bothering to be polite. I want to be friends with a cat, but I'm really getting sick of all the insults. Featherpaw whips around at me, eyes widened. "Seriously Inkpaw?" she hisses. "This is my mentor and you should respect him!" I shuffle my paws, feeling a little ashamed, but mainly annoyed. I mean come ''on. That cat just clearly insulted the both of us! How was she still loyal to him? Pineheart glares at me then stalks away, followed by Featherpaw. Oh well... Next time, I should probably just hold my tongue. After a few minutes of sitting in a shadowy part of the clearing, glaring at cats that look at me with sideways glances, Sleetstar gathers all of the Thunderclan cats around her with a sweep of her tail. I pad over and after a few stragglers join the group, we leave and go back to camp. Once we are back in our territory and the group is heading off, I break away from it, and head for the little cave. Once I get there, I sink into my little nest that I have made out of scraps of moss that I collected in between training sessions and fall into a deep sleep. Sunlight filters into the small cave and i wake up, yawning and stretching. I begin grooming myself, and realize that despite the late night, I am full of restless energy, so I decide to go out and hunt. I've been thinking about what happened with Featherpaw last night, and am sincerely regretting my descision to be rude to her mentor. So, I've decided to try and make some new friends. It can't hurt right? I pad out into the lush green forest, smiling as sunlight warms my pelt. The birds are beginning to wake upm and their chatter fills the forest with sound. I reach a part of the forest that has good hunting and taste the air. ''Vole. ''I spot the rodent nibbling at something and drop into a hunting crouch. I pull myself forward until I'm nearly on top of it, then leap, killing it swiftly. I smile briefly, pleased with my catch. I bury the plump vole and catch a few mice to go along with it, then dig up the vole and pick it up with the mice. I then trot back to my den, pleased with the prey and find Stormclaw is pacing back and forth in front of my den, his tail lashing. "Where have you been?" he snarls. "I've been waiting for ages now!" I roll my eyes as he spots the prey I've caught. "Oh." He meows. "Well, you still shouldn't have just gone off like that," he meows, trying to find some reason to be angry with me. Without waiting for another response, I pad to camp and place my freshkill on the prey pile. I see Darkpaw emerging from the apprentices den, looking sleepy and annoyed. She looks especially grumpy when she sees the fresh prey that I've caught. She glares at me when she pads by and begins to groom herself. I smirk at her ad watch as Sleetstar walks out of her den, her eyes sharp in the bright sunlight. "Who caught these?" she asks, looking around the camp ask she waves her tail at the prey. "I did." Says Stormclaw haughtily and I whip around, shocked. He's so blatantly lying, I can't believe it! I jump and snarl at him. "That's not true. I caught them and you know it! How dare you lie like that!" Sleetstar looks at us suspiciously. "Is that so? Stormtail, is it you or this apprentice that is lying?" Stormtail looks slightly guilty and meows defensively, "I'm the one lying. You see, I was testing my apprentice to see if she would react badly. She did not react as she should have, but at least she didn't attack anyone." I sit down, silently fuming. I know he wasn't doing that, I'm sure that he wanted to take the credit for my hard work. But before I can stalk off angrily, Sleetstars voice interrupts my thoughts. "You know Inkpaw, you've been staying with us for quite a while now. I think it's time for you to move to the apprentice den." I look up at her, gaping in shock. "Really?" She nods as Darkpaw stands up, looking shocked and angry. "Mom! No! She can't come and sleep there! She's uh dirty! And I don't want her near me!" She cries. I shoot a smug look at her when Sleetstar glares at her and tells her that I will be staying there until I become a warrior. I begin to pad to the forest again to get some moss when two apprentices interupt me. "Hi, Inkpaw! We're really excited that you're coming to stay with us in the apprentice den. We've been wanting to talk to you for some time, but our mum doesn't want us too.